Card Winner Today ...

Hi Everybody,

Thanks to all of you who took part in yesterdays Blog Hop I hoped you enjoyed your little trip around the world.  But now it's back to the Uk and today we actually had some white stuff and it is very cold.

We have done the draw for the white and silver card and the name pulled from the hat was yours ...

Ann Morris

would you email me your postal address please to 

christina@card-making-magic.com

and I will pop it in the post for you first thing in the morning.

Enjoy the rest of your day everybody and stay warm

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

International Ambassadors Informal Blog Hop

Hi Everybody,

Once a month some of the International Ambassadors have a blog hop and for this month we have chosen our favorite season as our theme.

If you are a regular follower of my blog then you will know that I love to make cards that are summery and full of flowers, ribbon and pearls and so this is the perfect theme for me.

I have also chosen to use my favorite dies for the card and the Victorian Collection was one that I really fell in love with when it was launched..

The beautiful flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts and I love the arrangement for my summer display.

The blog hop is the way for you to get to know our individual styles and we would love it if you would visit each of us and leave us your comments.

The others are ...

Christine Emberson  - UK 
Linda Lucas  - Australia
Yvonne van de Grijp - Netherlands
Christina Griffiths - that's me

Thank you for visiting and for all your support. I hope you enjoy the hop

Tomorrow I will announce the winner of the Friday Freebie so please pop back then to see if it is you

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Friday Freebie 101

Hi Everybody,

Todays card is in white with a touch of silver and that beautiful fabric rose.

It is a 5x7 card and could be for any occasion that deserves a celebration.

If you would like to win this card then all you need to do is leave me a comment at the end of the post .

Then pop back in the morning to see if yours is the name chosen as the winner

I am happy to send the card to anywhere that you live  and I would appreciate it if you would let me know when it arrives with you.

So add your comment and keep your finger crossed.... but if you don't win this one there will be another card on offer next week.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Butterfly Frame

Hi Everybody,

Todays card is one that is featured on Craft Stash  and is from their Apple Blossom collection.

For this one I have used the Butterfly  Frame  but I kept the loose pieces in the die with some tape.

I cut it twice and layered it up and then added the butterflies as extras to the frame

More have been dotted around on the flowers and I added pearls along the body line of each one.

The flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts and into the centre of the largest flower I have added a tiny  Glitter Ball  also from WOC

The card is a 5x7 and the base is made with card from Papermill Direct

The patterned paper is from Anna Griffin and is some that I brought back from Phoenix with me in 2014

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Love those Birds !!

Hi Everybody,

These cards have all been made with the  Bird Crazy stamp from Tim Holtz and I have had so much fun with them.

They are not gender specific and so you can turn them into male or female cards with the flick of your pen.

 I have added stripes and spots to some of mine to make them look different

I also bought the sets called  Crazy Things  which creates items that you can add to the birds like ties and hats, and  Crazy Talk  for sentiments to go with them.

I also bought the matching dies too.

 I water coloured mine with Gansai Tambi  water color paints

I used Glossy Accents on the balloons and eyes and left them to dry overnight.

The base cards are all the same design in different colours and  the birds die cut and added to the front

This fabulous stamp set is sure to keep you amused for months on end and I will certainly be playing with them again

You can ring the changes for so many occasions with these and you will never be bored once the imagination gets fired up.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Tuesday Tutorial A2 Basics

Hi Everybody,

For todays tutorial I have used nothing but the basic dies that you may already have in your crafting "Stash".   These are some of the dies that we buy and then push to one side for the fancier ones.

But they are so useful in that they can give you a beautiful base card with the embossed edges, and also lovely ovals, or other shapes,  to layer onto your base.

Spellbinders Supplies:

• S5-131 A2 Matting Basics A
• S5-132 A2 Matting Basics B
• S4-110 Classic Ovals LG
• S4-111 Classic Scalloped Ovals LG

Other Supplies:

• Stamp set Mini Cute & Cuddly From Clearly Besotted
• Pearls from Want2Scrap
• White Card from Papermill Direct
• Patterned Card from Limetree Craft
• Ribbon from Mei Flower
• Flowers/Lace from Wild Orchid Crafts
• Glitter from Glitter Magic

Instructions:

With the largest die from the rectangles in Matting Basics A cut two in white card and  Create a Hinged Card

With the largest die from the B set cut a patterned layer and then in between these two hand cut another layer in plain pink that leaves a small border around the patterned layer

From the stamp set choose the character that you wish to use and stamp and heat emboss it onto the card. Colour any way you prefer.

Choose the plain die that surrounds your character from the Classic Ovals and then from the plain pink card cut another layer from the Classic Scalloped dies to leave a small border around the coloured image.

Cut a larger Scalloped layer from the pink card and use another patterned card that matches the colours scheme with the plain oval.

The size you use will depend on which character you use and which words. And the positioning of them.  The blue card at the bottom of the page is set out differently to the pink one at the top

Layer them together with foam tape in between to give dimension to your card.

Here are the layers that I have and I can now add them together.

I have offset the character on my card and wrapped all the layers with lace and ribbon before adding them to the base.

I have added tiny pearls into the corners as a finishing touch.

This card has used the same die sets, card, ribbon, lace and pearls. I have chosen another stamp from the same set and created this card in blue.

I have used a white gel pen to add Polka Dots to each character

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Lilac Dream....

Hi Everybody,

Lilac is a colour that I don't use that often but I was really pleased with how this card turned out.

It has been created with the 5x7 Matting Basics and this has been the start of all this type of cards that I have shown this week.

I have layered lilac and another piece of white card but before adding them in place I have separated the top white layer with the Bracket Borders One

You can do this with any border die that you have in your "Stash"

Once I have cut it I have trimmed it down to leave a channel along the lower edge and into this I have stamped and heat embossed the sentiment.

Organza ribbon from Mei Flower  has been wrapped around the lower panel and then added to the card with foam tape.

Each of the cross sections of the Tied Together Embossed panel has been dotted with pearls from Want2Scrap  and is the same look as in last Tuesday Tutorial.

This is a really popular embossing folder and it sells out every time it comes back into stock so you will have to Google for it if you want to purchase it.

The bows centre and the flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts and they have been sparkled with Glitter Magic

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

New Water Colors ..

Hi Everybody,

Once again it has been playtime in my craft room and I absolutely love this little card and for this I have used yet more new water colors.

These are the boxed  Japanese Gansai Tambi Water Color Paints 

These paints are rich and creamy and full of pigment to make the colours vibrant and easy to work 

I do not profess to be an artist and I can't draw for toffee ...  but do you know I had so much pleasure from coloring this image that I don't care if it's right or wrong.

I am sure that there are many many mistakes on it but I love it and I think that some child would be thrilled to get this as a Birthday card.

All I am trying to do is encourage you to give things a try.

I bet some of you have water colours and they sit in the drawer never seeing the light of day

Why not pop over to the website and see how I coloured in this card  using the 

Gansai Tambi Water Colors

then get out your paints and color along with me 

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Card Winner for 2016

Hi Everybody,

Here we are with the first card winner for 2016. Even if you have one before you can still add your name again if there is a card that you would like to win.

Sometimes I do a "Give Away" with 10 cards for 10 winners ...  all in the same colour and you are free to enter for one of those too so please add your names and leave me the comment.

To all the new joiners "Hello" and welcome, it is really nice to have you on board and I wish you all good luck every time you enter.  I am very honoured that you would want to win one of my designs.

The draw is done by my husband Griff ... affectionately known as my "Film Crew"  ... because he does all the filming for my video tutorials.

Todays winner is you ...

Nancy Clark ...

who tells us that this is her first time entering for the card.  I really hope you will like the card once it arrives with you and please let me know when it does.

I need you to email me please with your postal address to

christina@card-making-magic.com

and the card will be in the post to you straight away.

I don't mind where you live I am happy to send the card to you at my expense.

(The winner of the Seasons Giving Blog Hop prize lived in Indonesia and his prize is posted)

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Friday Freebie 100

Hi Everybody,

So now that the New Year has settled in a little we can go back to our Friday Freebies and start the year off with Card 100

This is a card that I coloured quite some time ago.

It has been done with Spectrum Noir Pens with the addition of some flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts.

It would be suitable for a childs birthday and you can add your own sentiment to it if you wanted to.

If this is a card that you would like to have then all you need to do is leave me a comment at the bottom of this post.

From those comments one name will be drawn and the winner notified by blog post in the morning.

Please come back to check if it is your name and you will only have 48 hours in which to claim it ... and PLEASE do not leave your personal details in a comment or one Facebook

You will need to email me christina@card-making-magic.com with your postal address so that I can send the card to you.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Blue friend ...

Hi Everybody,

Todays card is elegant and perfect to let friends know that they are special.

The blue card is from Papermill Direct and makes a really pretty effect when covered with the embossed parchment I have used

The parchment has been embossed with the Butterfly Folder  and added to the blue card so that the foam tape sits beneath the added oval.

For the oval I have used the Spellbinders Victorian Bow  and I have cut this in antique silver card that I bought from the craft shows

The verse is from a set by JustRite Stampers  and it fits beautifully inside the frame that matches Labels 29

The ribbon is Organza  from Mei Flower and tied in a double bow with a pale blue pearly centre over the knot

The flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts  and put together to compliment the card.  The centre of each flower has a tiny Glitter ball also from WOC

They have added sparkle from Glitter Magic  and into the display I have added blue Hat Pin that can be removed as a gift for the recipient of your card.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Wedding Card

Hi Everybody,

Todays card is using a die from "Craft Stash" and I have kept the theme to white.

The large heart has been cut from white card several times and layered to the base card to form a pattern layer.

I cut the die again several times and layered them together for depth.

I triple heat embossed the top layer of the heart shape in silver powder to give it a metallic look  that is very pretty and added it towards the bottom of the card

The sentiment has been stamped onto parchment and heat embossed in silver too and then I ran a silver pen along each edge of the parchment

The flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts and I have curved them around the top of the card.

The sparkle is added with Glitter Magic  and small Diamanté from Want2Scrap dotted around the petals.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Tuesday Tutorial - Bracket Borders One

Hi Everybody,

Todays pretty card is once again using an older die that some of you may already have in your crafting "Stash"  I know that many of you have said that you really appreciate tutorials with older Spellbinders dies as we sometimes forget that we have them stuffed away in a cupboard.

Well it's time to get them out again and put them back to work making you some lovely cards. After all dies from any company are a considered purchase and we want to get as much out of them as we can ... Right ?? Right !!

 Spellbinders Supplies:

• S6-001 5x7 Matting Basics A
• S6-002 5x7 Matting Basics B
• Bracket Borders One (Retired)

Other Supplies:

• Flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts
• Ribbon from Mei Flower
• Glitter from Glitter Magic
• Pearls from Want2Scrap
• Hand made Hat Pin (by me)
• Tied Together Embossing folder
• Card from Papermill Direct

Instructions:

With  die #7 Matting Basics A cut two panels in white to  Create a hinged card

With  die #7 Matting Basics B Cut one layer in pink

With die #6 Matting Basics A cut another panel in white 

(Please remember that #1 is always the smallest die)

With the smaller white panel choose one of the cutting edges and one patterns from the Border dies.

Add them to your card with the cutting edge facing down and tape in place to prevent them crossing over each other.

I placed mine about two thirds of the way down the card. This will give you two pieces once the die is removed

There is no need to emboss with the die as you are going to place these into a lattice folder and dry emboss them

Once embossed lay them onto your pink layer and decide on the sentiment. Stamp and heat emboss this in white leaving enough of a gap in between the two fancy edge to be able to read it 

Trim down these two panels so that a small border of the pink card shows around the edge

Add foam tape to the back  of both pieces and wrap the top and bottom panels with some ribbon.

Secure the ribbon at the back and then add both panels to the pink layer and then add all to the base card

From the ribbon make some small bows to be added to the top and bottom.

Arrange the flowers as you would like them to cross the channel you have created and then finally add a small pearl or gemstone to each of the cross sections in the lattice pattern

Add larger pearls to the knot in the bow

The particular die that I have used is now retired from Spellbinders website but if you don't have one and like the look then you could always go for the  Scalloped Borders Three  which has a very similar shape

More tomorrow...

Hugs xx

Seasons Giving Blog Hop Winner

Hi Everybody,

Thank you all for your support through the blog hop and I really hope you enjoyed seeing all the other blogs on route.  The draw was closed at midnight  GMT last night and so if you tried to enter your name after that you will have been disappointed.

The winner has been chosen and an email sent to to notify them of the win and the winner is ...

Brain K ...

Could you please email me 

christina@card-making-magic.com

your postal address and the prize will be on its way to you straight away.

Please let me know when it arrives with you and I really hope you will like it.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Organising Peerless Water Colours

Hi Everybody,

Water colouring is something that I have started to enjoy doing and I have some Peerless Water Colours that come in swatches

They came in a little organza bag from Jane Davenport  and they are beautiful colours

But I don't want to have to go through all of them each and every time I want to paint and so they needed organising.

I bought an inexpensive plastic book that has pockets inside and I set about storing all my swatches in colour order.  This doesn't have to be complicated but it will take you a little bit of time to do it ... but believe me it will be worth while once the job is done.

I thought it would be better to show you what I did rather than simply tell you and now I can reach for them whenever I want to paint.



I will be adding some videos with these particular paints and hopefully giving you some ideas on how to use them.

So if you have water colours then maybe it is time to get them out for a little practise together and we can create some really pretty cards

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx